Interesting story about the effects of increased ethanol consumption in the US. Seems that the US demand for corn has caused the price of tortilla flour in Mexico to spike, leading to protests:

"The marchers are angry about tortilla prices that have doubled over the last year to roughly 45 cents a pound, causing hardship among the millions of poor Mexicans for whom they are a staple."

"The national uproar has put him in an uncomfortable position between the poor and some agribusiness industries hoping to profit from the surge in international corn prices, driven mostly by the sudden explosion of the U.S. ethanol industry."

Overpopulation causes excess consumption which accelerates exhaustion of petroleum supplies and/or global warming (take your pick) which leads to shortages of food and clean water. The doomsday whackos finally turn out to be right, and Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death ride roughshod over mankind. Thomas Malthus rises from the grave to say "I told you so."

We can hope for an asteroid strike to take us out of our misery, or have another beer and think about this some other day. Today, I chose beer. Several.

I didn't realize the prices had continued to spike after the agreement. I followed the story up to the agreement then thought it had pretty much been settled. If I remember right, while US consumption was definitely driving up wholesale prices, a significant factor was also profiteering by some of the larger distributors, who were hoarding corn in the hopes of driving further price spikes.

"The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity"

I realize you weren't challenging me. I find it interesting that with all the proof that us humans don't live in a bubble, there are still many who make decisions without taking all the variable into account.

Quoting AndesSMF (Thread starter):"The marchers are angry about tortilla prices that have doubled over the last year to roughly 45 cents a pound, causing hardship among the millions of poor Mexicans for whom they are a staple

Well I loved being proved right.

I had said that if we start using foodstuffs to produce Ethanol for fuels then we where going to find ourselves in the position of having to decide between food and fuel.